Teasing the Ocean
by See The Limerick
Summary: Etrian Odyssey 2 - She could feel herself, mentally emotionally stepping over the BEST FRIEND line, toying with the idea, cautious of heading into no-man’s land; like a little kid testing out the big kid’s pool. Kitta/Tambouri - Survivalist/Gunner


A/N: Wow, first story. Cool feeling.

Teasing the Ocean is based off of Etrian Odyssey 2, a game that [you should all buy] is very close to me. Even though I hate Stalkers, and they scare me. As a result, some of the terms used in this fic may...uh, confuse you. Basically, EO2 is a dungeon-crawler. FOEs are the strong monsters. The game's levels are divided into floors, which are part of 'Stratums' (first is Forest, second is Fall Forest, third is Snow Forest). Kitta is a Survivalist/Archer class. Tambouri is my Gunner. There's a backstory behind the two, which I PROMISE to upload later.

Other:

Because this game is Japanese, I decided to use honorifics. Hope you don't mind too much =D Also, _italics_ are speech (except for once).

Etrian Odyssey is property of Atlus.

_For Nikki; who reads this crap~_

She notices it happening. She doesn't admit it. She'd never admit it. This is Kitta, after all.

She can hear Juliah's voice already, an image of her prancing around in a dress and _Kitta loves Tambouri Kitta loves Tambouri _echoing through the Labyrinth like some sort of vicious new monster that they haven't killed yet. And then he'd laugh, nervously, and would run away and open a café in Harigo where he'd sell little cakes and tea and _where was this line of thought going_

She blushes whenever he pats her on the shoulder these days. His warmth through those leather gloves radiating into her shoulder [because Celes knows how cold she gets in the icy Stratum Third with her clothes, or lack thereof] brought a different kind of warmth to her body.

And then if he was particularly perceptive that day he would look concerned for a moment and a _Kitta are you okay? You're all red in the face_ would slip from his mouth. And during the early stages she'd simply shake her head and flee from this battle [FOEs were one thing. falling in love with best friend was another] but now, in the latter stages she was mostly occupied watching his lips…

_Badbadbadbadbadtrainofthought._

She shivers, and shakes, and _then_ she flees in terror.

She could feel herself, mentally [emotionally] stepping over the BEST FRIEND line, toying with the idea, cautious of heading into no-man's land; like a kid testing out the big kid's pool.

Heck, Tambouri was the friggin' _ocean_. And she pictures herself, a little kid wearing a bathing suit, standing in the shallows and looking out into the yawning blue abyss.

THAT was more in perspective.

And when she's thinking, Tambouri is leaning over and poking her in the face [_Uh, Kitta-chan? We're _going_ now. If you don't hurry, I'm leaving you for the FOE that's _right around the frickin' corner_. 'Lo?_] and she jumps and runs to join Hona [familiar territory. kinda] who is mumbling what are likely foul spells under her breath and Haku is helping Tambouri pack up their temporary camp.

Which brings up the question: why did Haku's appearance –shirtless, muscular…shirtless- never bother her?

Some things were beyond understanding.

[-]

She hides it in her mind for the next three days, jumpy as a rabbit, confusing her friends with her frequent mumblings of 'hi-Hona-let's-go-somewhere' and 'gotta-go-get-firewood' whenever he invited her to go for a walk-around to check for FOEs.

Then she realizes: _oh-hell-two-days-till-Tam's-birthday-frig-frig-frig_.

And, for the third year in the row, she finds herself:

1. broke

2. without a present

3. in deep shit

And she paces her room in the inn, observed by Hona who is reading a book and levitating a foot off of the bed.

Crud.

Still no ideas.

_Hey Hona-chan. What're you getting Tambouri for his birthday?_

An odd look.

_Hona, Surina-san, Juliah-chan,, Haku-kun, and Sam-kun all pooled money to get Tambouri a rifle._

…how had she missed THAT?

_Everyone told you, Kitta-chan, but you were more interested in evading Tambouri-san._

Ah.

And now, for not paying attention, she was still in deep shit.

And she knew she couldn't pull 'the Blue Thing ate your present' off again.

[-]

It's Tambouri's birthday today.

And she's out of options.

1. can't ask Tambouri for money, he'd ask why

2. can't beg for money, Tam would ask why

3. can't steal money, Tam would kick my—

"Kiiita! C'mon!"

Speak of the devil, in all his glory.

_Fine, Tam-head._

And where were they going for his birthday?

A pub [_WHY_] since Tambouri was now eighteen [_legal drinking age my ass_] which means they'd spend the next hour getting drunk and wasted.

Not that her companion hadn't gotten drunk before. Not that her companion hadn't gotten completely _shitfaced_ before. But then, what were friends for besides holding your hair up while you puked?

When they got to the bar she stayed ten minutes before she bailed.

[-]

_Hey, where's Kitta?_

_No idea dude. Look! There's a fairy on the ceiling!_

_Haha! Surina-san's passed out! I win!_

_I think Haku-kun's the only one still sober. Oh wait, Hona-chan too. Unlucky ducky can't drink yet. Too bad. Sure you don't want some Hona-chaaaan? I won't tell on youuu._

_Please stop scaring Hona, Juliah-chan or Hona will Bind your legs together._

'_K, I'm gonna go look for Kitta._

_Watch out for those chairs, they jump at you out of NOWHERE._

[-]

Kitta was sitting the entrance to the Labyrinth, butt planted on a rock and legs kicking back and forth like a child sitting on a diving board.

Not quite ready to take the plunge.

She decided that she was an awful, nasty person. Ditching out of her best friend's birthday party. She was a jerk. Frightened or not, that wasn't much of an excuse.

_Can you just kick and ditch me now Tam?_

_No, your mom would kill me. And then she'd never invite me to her house again. And then I'd be sad cause I'd never taste her apple pie again._

She squeaked, and felt that all-too familiar warmth on her cheeks. Her head turned down so fast she heard her neck creak. Tambouri was standing at the rock's base, smiling and waving and holding a sake bottle [was he drunk again?]. With an agility that proved he wasn't drunk, he scrambled up to sit with her.

_You look lonely up here. You're missing a great party y'know._

_Yeah, a great drunkfest more like it._

Ouch, that sounded pretty harsh.

Tambouri noticed and frowned.

_What's up with you, you've been all…bitchy for the past few weeks. What's up._

Only Tambouri would have the tact to say she was bitchy.

_N-nothin…_

_Don't give me that crap. Something's up. Tell me._

She shivered and hunched up, burying her mouth in her cloakscarf.

_You wouldn't understand. Just chill. Go back, enjoy your party, get drunk._

Bad idea.

_Holy Shiva, I'm just trying to help. But all week you've been avoiding me like I have some sort of frickin' disease! Just tell me!_

And then she was crying, letting out all that pent up stress and her sobs echoed in her ears [gawd, she sounded like a kid when she was crying] and tears were running down her cheeks and Tambouri looked like he'd been slapped.

_Woah, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout, stop crying please—_

_I like you and you're treating me like a jerk._

_--I take it back, you're not acting bitchy and you can treat me like a disease if you—_

_I SAID I LOVE YOU, YOU IDIOT._

There, she had officially crossed the invisible line, into the big kids' pool, the ocean. And the yawning silence made her feel sick and horrible because now he was going to hate her.

_F-forget it, I didn't…_

And the next second she isn't thinking anything, because Tambouri has leaned over and his mouth is pressed against hers [_he tastes like cinnamon and something spicy like whiskey_] and she thinks… she doesn't know what to think.

And the next second he's gone, hovering inches from her lips and then she realizes that she's not blushing anymore.

_Does that solve your problem?_

And she laughs again.

And suddenly the ocean doesn't look so scary after all.


End file.
